| Summary : The Granary was constructed in 1869 to designs by Ponton & Gough, and has been described as 'the most striking and piquant monument of the High Victorian age in Bristol'. It is built of red Cattybrook brick with black and white brick and limestone dressings and combines Venetian, Moorish and Byzantine architectural elements. The building consists of seven grain floors each with a different window design, which is perhaps where the mix of styles can be best seen. The ground floor contains an arcade, with large pointed arches influenced by both Venetian and Moorish style. Floors above this have round arch windows with coloured brickwork, and some with Byzantine style pillars beneath the arches. On top of the building are distinctive and decorative swallow-tail parapets and a steep roof. Inside the building the floor joists are forcibly curved by cross-pieces to counteract the tendency of the floors to bow under the weight of grain.The building was used as offices in the late 20th century but is now used as residential apartments and a restaurant. |
More information : The Granary was constructed in 1869 to designs by Ponton & Gough, and has been described as 'the most striking and piquant monument of the High Victorian age in Bristol'. Built of red Cattybrook brick with black and white brick and limestone dressings, it combines Venetian, Moorish and Byzantine architectural elements into one quayside building fronting onto three streets - Welsh Back, King Street and Queen Charlotte Street.
The building consists of seven grain floors each with a different window design, which is perhaps where the mix of styles can be best seen. The ground floor contains an arcade, with large pointed arches influenced by both Venetian and Moorish style, with decorative brickwork, similar to those found in the arcades within mosque courtyards. Floors above this have round arch windows with coloured brickwork, and some with Byzantine style pillars beneath the arches. The windows of floors two and three are within a single arch, lending the illusion of one large floor. On top of the building are distinctive and decorative swallow-tail parapets and a steep roof. Inside the building are massive Y-beams transferring thrust onto the east and west walls. The floor joists are forcibly curved by cross-pieces to counteract the tendency of the floors to bow under the weight of grain.
The building was used as office space in the late 20th century but was converted to residential apartments in 2002 under Barton Willmore Architecture, entered from the Queen Charlotte Street side. At the same time as this redevelopment a restaurant was built into the ground floor arcade of the Welsh Back side of the building. (1-2)
Recorded by NRIM. (3) |